


Camping Woes

by Bootleg_Pokestar



Category: Pocket Monsters SPECIAL | Pokemon Adventures, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Begins with fluff ends with some angst, Black is a very good bean please help this bean, Camping, Existential Angst, Existentialism, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, I can’t write Sapphire’s accent I am sorry, Not Beta Read, Short One Shot, slightly OOC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:27:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26081167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bootleg_Pokestar/pseuds/Bootleg_Pokestar
Summary: Black has never gone camping before. Sapphire is in dire need of getting out to enjoy the outdoors after being cramped in for so long. The situation was to perfect to waste. If only Black was more willing to stay up a little longer past dusk.
Relationships: Black & Odamaki Sapphire | Sapphire Birch
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Camping Woes

“So you’re sure this is really your first time campin’? I don’t believe it, you’re a man of adventure, I can’t tell just from lookin’ at ya.”

Sapphire was busy at work hitching up the tent right next to the most beautiful lake she could find in this forest. Black was there too helping to the best of his ability. Though Sapphire seemed a bit to good at what she did for needing assistance. 

“I’ve never considered anything I’ve done camping. Sure I’ve slept outside in a tent before and done a lot of the same things associated with camping, but those where all for travel purposes you know? Haven’t gone out and just, slept out in the wilderness for the sheer sake of doing it.”

The tent was finally done, it took longer than usual due to the much larger size of it. After all, they needed something big enough to fit both them and their Pokémon. The tag team admired their handy work before they start setting up the rest of their makeshift camping site.

“That really so ey? Good thing I have days worth of activities! We’re goin’ to have a blast and nothing will stop me from making sure you do too!”

Fire shone in her eyes in full excitement. Black chuckled at her enthusiasm. She really was everything his other dexholders made her out to be. He was thankful to have someone like her be his first time trying some new and admittedly a bit scary. Sapphire was just glad to go out and do something without contant complaints about getting to dirty. 

It has been a slow couple of weeks for the both of them. Ruby and White always seemed to be busy with their work as an upcoming contest superstar and boss of a large acting company. Neither of them had to many other close friends who weren’t also living busy lives so their gradual drift together felt all to natural. They started hanging out together more whenever their partner wasn’t available. A peppy hotheaded girl and an equally peppy but not-so-hotheaded boy made for a surprisingly solid relationship that built up almost instantly. Turns out they are rather similar in a lot of different ways. Ways not even them could do guessed. 

This camping trip was just one of many ways they had been killing time when life got particularly slow. Timing lined up perfectly for such a long trip out and Sapphire was ecstatic to be outdoors again only for her excitement to be taken out by Black adamantly claiming he wouldn’t go for longer than a couple of days. He was quick to say it was because he didn’t want White thinking he was up to any suspicious being out in the middle of nowhere with a girl for too long. Sapphire couldn’t argue with it, though she had a sneaking suspicion he was hiding something in those words. Even with her pleas Black was stubborn on the matter. Barely being convinced to bring some extra supplies if he decides stayed a few days longer. 

It was a long effort, but eventually they had a well enough set up to finally start doing whatever people do when they camp. A small campfire, a table made up of a large rock Sapphire had found, and some folding chairs to sit in curtesy of Black. Sapphire wasn’t lying when she said they where going out into the middle of a forest. Not a single bench could be seen for miles, this was the true essence of camping outdoors. It was a humble way of life, but Black could see why Sapphire was so into it. 

Black blinked. Well he’s gotten this far, what’s next? “So... what’s our first course of action?”

“There’s plenty of this game we could do!” Sapphire beamed, “Though I wanna Dave all the really REALLY fun things for tomorrow when we have more time in the day. Didn’t expect the ride here to take so long. Oh! I know! How about we go explorin’!”

“As in walking around and seeing what we can find?”

Sapphire heartily chuckled, playfully nudging Black’s arm, “Oh it’s more than that ya goof! You haven’t seen the forest until you been out explorin’ it with nothing but your wits and your Pokémon. Plus I know a really gorgeous view that’s close by I have to make sure you see!”

Without a second word, Sapphire zipped off, Black being pulled into the fray by his arm. Despite this being Sapphire’s first ever visit to this part of the forest, she moved through with the upmost confidence. Their Pokémon made quick work of any wild Pokémon who dared to mess with them. There where plenty of new Pokémon to see while they continued their trek through to this special view Sapphire was so excited to share. Sapphire was more them tempted to catch a good few of them, though she purposely left most of her spare Pokeballs behind to avoid having Troppy carry to much weight at once. For the untrained eye, this walk would of been nothing more than a path of green. With their own experience they could see so much more than what was essentially a large collection of plants. An ecosystem run by the most complicated plan known to man. Every little bit played an important role in keeping the system balanced. It was amazing how a system that relied on so much to happen could also survive in dramatic change. Simply put, it was incredible. 

The walk to this view was another long hike for the both of them. The hill they had to climb was only a few degrees off from being a complete 90 degree climb. Though when they had finally made it to the top, it was all worth it. A sea of trees that must of went on for miles, with a painted backdrop of the sky as the sun set down for the moon to come out. You couldn’t get an experience quite like this out of reading it in books. 

“Really is pretty huh.” Black sighed dreamily, his eyelids growing heavy from the energy he had exerted. 

“Saw this place on the back of Troppy when we where findin’ a good place to stay. I knew we had to come up here at least once this trip.” 

The two of them spent some more time in silence enjoying the view. To think that so many people miss such wonders of life, it’s heartbreaking. Sapphire was enraptured by her find, though something was off. She couldn’t figure out what that something is. None of the trees were on fire, nothing behind was coming for them. What was it? Sapphire racked her mind for the answer, taking a bit of time to realize the problem was the very person she had invited with her. His once calm and relaxed demeanor had shifted to something more akin to panic. 

“Black? You alright there?” She shook him slightly, afraid that she might of done something to hurt him. 

The shake spooked him right back into reality, tensing up at her touch, “S-Sorry! Kinda zoned out there for a moment. Probably should of taken Musha out of his Pokeball to clear my thoughts.”

Sapphire kept her hand on his shoulder releasing some of the pressure, “You okay? It’s not like you to just clock out like that for no reason.”

“I assure you I’m fine. Anyways never mind that, we really should be heading back before it gets to dark.”

“But it’s barely even-“

Black took the helm of their journey and made their way back with a noticed kick in his step as they made it back. 

“Welp that was nice and all, but I still got plans for today.” Sapphire exclaimed, calling for her Pokémon to come to her side. 

Black piped in before Sapphire had the chance to say anything more, “Even more? I mean it’s kinda late out for that.”

“Of course! All the fun in camping is to be had at night. We can cook marshmallows and make s’mores by the fire, tell scary stories, and you’ve gotta tru late night fishin.”

Black weakly smiled, “I’ll pass thank you, I’m rather tried tonight.”

“What?! You can’t already be tired! We haven’t even gotten through the day.”

“Don’t worry, you can do all the things you want. I brought some books with me to read so don’t met stop you.”

“But-“

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning! Can’t wait to see what you have planned next.”

And just like that, he was in the tent, zipped up and shutting out the world. Sapphire was disappointed he wasn’t even willing to give it anything a shot. Though maybe he was just that sleepy. They did have a long day just getting there. She tried her best to hype herself back up to do it herself, but it didn’t feel right. Not when her friend was hiding in the tent, clearly distraught about something. 

She sighed in contempt, then zipped the door open and close again. The sight she was met with was depressing. All of his Pokémon had found a comfortable place to sleep on the other side of the tent while Black day in the corner with a small flashlight reading. He was cut out from his focus when he felt something leaning against his side. Sapphire was looking at him with the biggest puppy dog eyes.

“So uh, what’s cha readin’?”

“Sapphire please I already told you I’m not up for staying up late tonight.”

Guess he wasn’t fooling around, “Alright you got me. What’s bothering ya?”

“What do you mean? I told you I’m tired.” He grunted. 

“No really. Are you feeling okay? I can tell something bothering you and it’s not just a bit of drowsiness.”

He placed a bookmark in the page he was reading and leaned onto Sapphire. This wasn’t quite the reaction what she was expecting, though if this helped her friend then she could bare through it.

“I’m... scared. There. I’m scared okay?! I don’t like the night time, never have.” He buried his head into her shoulder pouting. 

“Ooh so your afraid of the dark? No need to be ashamed of that. I was scared LD the dark too when I was a young lad. You know the best way to get over a fear is to face it up front!” She cheerfully finished, trying to fake some enthusiasm to get him up and running again. 

“That’s not quite it. I’m fine with dark places, it more of, just...” Black winced, almost bracing himself for what he was about to say, “It’s the stars.”

Sapphire was dumbfounded, “Stars? You mean those big balls of light so far away they can’t hurt us?”

Sapphire flinched at the sudden increased pressure caused by Black instinctively squeezing her arm like his life depended on it. He had a rather sudden increase in energy. He desperately wanted to move, to run around in circles, to fail about with no real purpose, to scream his lungs out, the only thing stopping him where the worried eyes of Sapphire being focused on him. She couldn’t tell what was happening but it was definitely not good. Not exactly sure on what to do, she brought him closer to her and whisper soft words until his grip loosened. 

She petted his hair, resorting to all the things that make her Pokémon happy when she ran out of options, “I didn’t mean to make fun of you like that, I promise it wasn’t meant to be an insult.” 

“You don’t find it terrifying?” Sapphire furrowed her brow, the shaking terror in his voice heightening her senses, “Those stars, each and every one of them is going to explode one day. Ours will, and all the ones we can’t reach. Eventually there’ll be nothing left. Nothing. How are we supposed to be pant with this? How am I supposed to live my life every day knowing all those lights in the sky are only going to kill us?” 

He jerked himself to stop speaking, his heart racing at speeds that could impress the fastest of Pokémon. He want to say more, to get this burden of a thought that had been plaguing him for years. And even when he finally had the perfect time to let it all out, he couldn’t. He had to stop himself. Stress his mind out any more ans his heart very well would of stopped right there and he would’ve dropped dead. Sapphire continued petting his hair, occasionally bringing him into a hug as his hand grabbed her arm with even more desperation. She hadn’t felt this powerless in ages. Nothing she said could even bring a spark of joy into him anymore. None of her words of encouragement reaching his ears. He had completely buried his head in her shoulder by this point, small wells of tears building just big enough to drop onto her clothes. She couldn’t think of the right thing to say to make him feel better. If she could do anything to get such a thought out of his mind she would’ve done it. But nothing work. He’s probably heard it all before. 

As much as she knew she wasn’t going to get him to feel comfortable in his thoughts any time soon, she couldn’t bare to see him so upset. 

“Hey so what were your just readin’?”

Black slowly moved his head up to meet her eye to eye, “Sapphire I really don’t-“

“No really, I’m curious. What’s that book you got there?”

They stared at each other for an uncomfortably long time before Black hastily grabbed the book off the ground, not wanting to lose any precious second of his hands holding onto something. 

He wiped his blurry eyes, opening the book to the page he was last on, “I just bought it recently. It’s a comedy about this kid who gets magical powers from some legendary Pokémon out of nowhere. It’s not exactly my cup of tea, but it gets the job done.”

“Can I read it with you? I heard reading is better with a friend, even if the book sucks.”

He cracked a small smile, bingo. She knew that if anything was going to work, it would be distracting him with something to read. Black’s jitters had mostly gone away by now, as he was able to calmly reach into his bag and take out a small lantern that allowed both of them to easily read was was on the page. They read into the night, snuggled up against one another before soon drifting into sleep side by side.

**Author's Note:**

> Starting to realize I may have to many personal headcanons for Black based on my own experience and struggles because yikes, that’s a lotta damage. Maybe a little to much projecting. Just maybe.  
> A quick fic I’ve been wanting to make for awhile and wrote out of me being extra stressed lately. Won’t beta read at all because just writing this made my mind race to much. Sorry if there’s a lot of grammatical mistakes


End file.
